Spot on @mjtoma.bsky.social! I think many misunderstand the institutional roles of Jeffries as House Minority Leader and Schumer as Senate Minority Leader. They are not outfacing opposition advocates -- not their job! And just a quibble - LBJ won on his own in 1964.
There have been clamorings for this for months, but I think there are a couple reasons why it hasn't happened (which: shocking, but also explain Dems' poor polling lately):
Lack of communicators in D leadership (and refusal to promote some).
Incoherent messages and internal fighting.
There's a huge gap between progressives and liberals in understandings of governance and policy. Hard to bridge in real admins, hard to bridge in things like this. In a better world the progressives would have their own party so they could stop embarrassing the adults.
Your comment is exactly why Democrats don’t win. Even during the greatest threat to our democracy and institutions you need to trash talk. I want the best people, in the roles they’re best suited for, to fight this onslaught. To hell with these purity tests!
We often don't win because neoprogressives push dumb anti-cop stuff, or open borders, or are in love with some "autonomous zone" set up in a city, or want drag queens to hang out with kids, or some other thing that's clearly a bad idea and sensible voters say "hell no".
Open borders is not even a thing and people are against drag queens? You are not representative of the average American. You are the victim of propaganda.
Hold their meetings in public view in the Lincoln Memorial, with Abe Lincoln sitting in the background. This is hallowed, symbolic ground. Use Abe's words. He took on the traitors and won . . . it can be done again.
TS:
“By beginning from the principle that we have a government of laws, not men, a shadow cabinet would reinforce the American way of politics. It would be a very good thing to have a constitutional lawyer or two on the shadow cabinet.”
In Great Britain, the shadow cabinet represents "the loyal opposition." The loyalty in question is to the state and to its head, the monarch. In the United States, a "loyal opposition" would be loyal to our Constitution — and, indeed, that could be the basis of its activity.
Timothy Snyder:
“Leading politicians of the opposition party, the Democratic Party in the United States, have a special responsibility, and also special opportunities. One of these is to form a shadow cabinet. I want to join the voices of those advocating for this.”
Historian and author, Timothy Snyder, suggested a shadow cabinet in Substack articles on January 6 and 11. In comments on the articles, several respondents suggested names of Democrats to fill positions in The People’s Cabinet.
Comments
thanks for your great conversation on This Rough Beast that directed me here
@virginiaheffernan.bsky.social
Lack of communicators in D leadership (and refusal to promote some).
Incoherent messages and internal fighting.
Not enforcing borders is a terrible idea. We shouldn't do it in a maximally punitive way like Trump is, but "abolish ICE" is a non-starter.
Neoprogressives are fringe and bad for the Left.
“By beginning from the principle that we have a government of laws, not men, a shadow cabinet would reinforce the American way of politics. It would be a very good thing to have a constitutional lawyer or two on the shadow cabinet.”
In Great Britain, the shadow cabinet represents "the loyal opposition." The loyalty in question is to the state and to its head, the monarch. In the United States, a "loyal opposition" would be loyal to our Constitution — and, indeed, that could be the basis of its activity.
“Leading politicians of the opposition party, the Democratic Party in the United States, have a special responsibility, and also special opportunities. One of these is to form a shadow cabinet. I want to join the voices of those advocating for this.”